Main Idea & Key Details in IT

​Informational Text

Informational text is writing that gives facts about a topic.

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The topic is what the text is about in 1-3 words. So, for instance, "hot dogs" could be a topic.

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It's the most general level of a text.

​Informational Text

The main idea is whatever the text says about the topic. It's usually a sentence.

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​If our topic was "hot dogs," the main idea could be "there are many ways to cook a hot dog."

​Informational Text

​Supporting details provide the reader with information that develops the main idea.

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If you can spot the main idea and supporting details, you're on your way to being able to summarize informational text.

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Multiple Choice

The ______ is what the text is about in 1-3 words

• Topic

• Main Idea

• Supporting Idea

• Details

Multiple Choice

The _______ is whatever the text says about the topic. It's usually a sentence.

• Subject

• Main Idea

• Supporting Idea

• Details

Draw

Draw a cute frog.

​Read this short informational text:

​Frogs might be cute, but many frogs are poisonous. The golden poison dart frog is deadly. Not only is it the world's most deadly frog, but it is also an endangered species. The corroboree frog produces its own poison. It can be found in Australia. The red-backed poison frog is harmful to the touch. Even though it is smaller than your thumbnail, it can still cause injury to humans.

Multiple Choice

The topic of this short informational text is...

• The red-backed poison frog is harmful to the touch

• Many types of frogs are poisonous

• Frogs

• The corroboree frog can be found in Australia

​Read this short informational text:

​Frogs might be cute, but many frogs are poisonous. The golden poison dart frog is deadly. Not only is it the world's most deadly frog, but it is also an endangered species. The corroboree frog produces its own poison. It can be found in Australia. The red-backed poison frog is harmful to the touch. Even though it is smaller than your thumbnail, it can still cause injury to humans.

Multiple Choice

The main idea of this short informational text is...

• The red-backed poison frog is harmful to the touch

• Many types of frogs are poisonous

• Frogs

• The corroboree frog can be found in Australia

Multiple Choice

One supporting/key detail of this text is...

• The red-backed poison frog is harmful to the touch

• Many types of frogs are poisonous

• Frogs

• The corroboree frog can be found in Australia

Multiple Choice

One supporting/key detail of this text is...

• Many types of frogs are poisonous

• Frogs

• The corroboree frog produces its own poison.

Video Response

What would you do if you could blend into your background? Record your response.

Open Video Recorder

​​Read this short informational text:

​Many insects blend in with nature to protect themselves. Stick insects fool their enemies because they look like twigs. Not only do they look like twigs and stems, but they can shed and regrow legs! Stick insects live on almost every continent. Katydids can hide in plain sight because they look like leaves. Because they are the same size and color as a leaf, they are able to easily hide from birds and bats. The dead leaf butterfly looks like a dead or decaying leaf. Found in tropical rain forests, these butterflies eat fruit and tree sap. They only fly if they are threatened.

Multiple Choice

The topic of this informational text is...

• Many insects blend in with nature to protect themselves

• Insects

• Katydids can hide in plain sight because they look like leaves.

• Found in tropical rain forests, the dead leaf butterfly east fruit and tree sap.

​​Read this short informational text:

​Many insects blend in with nature to protect themselves. Stick insects fool their enemies because they look like twigs. Not only do they look like twigs and stems, but they can shed and regrow legs! Stick insects live on almost every continent. Katydids can hide in plain sight because they look like leaves. Because they are the same size and color as a leaf, they are able to easily hide from birds and bats. The dead leaf butterfly looks like a dead or decaying leaf. Found in tropical rain forests, these butterflies eat fruit and tree sap. They only fly if they are threatened.

Multiple Choice

The main idea of this informational text is...

• Many insects blend in with nature to protect themselves

• Insects

• Katydids can hide in plain sight because they look like leaves.

• Found in tropical rain forests, the dead leaf butterfly east fruit and tree sap.

Multiple Choice

One supporting/key detail of this text is...

• Many insects blend in with nature to protect themselves

• Insects

• Katydids can hide in plain sight because they look like leaves.

• Stick insects live on almost every continent.

Multiple Choice

One supporting/key detail of this text is...

• Many insects blend in with nature to protect themselves

• Insects

• Found in tropical rain forests, these butterflies eat fruit and tree sap.

• The dead leaf butterfly looks like a dead or decaying leaf.

Why does this matter?

​Summarizing is an important life skill.

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If you can spot the main idea and supporting information, you're on your way to being able to summarize informational text.

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